a court in Iran sentenced a woman to 100 lashes and 15 years jail time and an Afghan man to execution on charges of murder, Persian-language websites reported.

Iraqi MPs debated sweeping anti-terror legislation that would make even crimes such as vandalism subject to the death penalty in a bid to quell the raging insurgency.

ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein "confessed" to releasing orders for executions and a campaign against Kurds in which thousands of people are said to have been killed, President Jalal Talabani said.

Saudi Arabia executed Jameel bin Abdullah bin Safar al-Fahmy, a Saudi man convicted of murdering a compatriot after a feud.

the Iranian authorities’ executed the Kurdish political prisoner Ismayil Muhemedi, his brother was reported as telling local media.

Houshang Bameri, an Iranian man convicted of murder and armed robbery was hanged in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan.

former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and seven of his henchmen would go on trial on October 19 over the massacre of 143 people more than two decades ago, government spokesman Laith Kubba.

the United Nation's human rights chief, Louise Arbour, has said she is "guardedly optimistic" that China is making progress on human rights. But she questioned Beijing's widespread use of the death penalty, warning that some of those being executed might be victims of discrimination.

the head of Iran’s Judiciary called harsh and speedy punishments for individuals convicted of a variety of organised crimes, many of which carry the death penalty.

Iraq executed three convicted murderers, the first time the government has carried out the death penalty since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, government spokesman Laith Kubba said.

prosecutors in the self-declared republic of Somaliland asked a regional court to sentence to death 10 people suspected of killing aid workers between 2002-2004.

Mohammad bin Ghanem al-Fifi, a Saudi man, was beheaded by the sword in the southwestern region of Asir after he was convicted of fatally shooting a compatriot.